Burner observation means for heaters



Aug. 8, 1944. s. PERRY BURNER OBSERVATION MEANS FOR HEATERS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1941 Aug 8, 1944. s. PERRY 2,355,466

BURNER OBSERVATION MEANS FOR HEATERS Aug. 8, 1944. s, PERRY 2,355,466

BURNER OBSERVATION MEANS FOR HEATERS Filed Jan; 18, 1941 3 Sheets-Shet 56/ I- AW A l I N v Patented Aug. 8, 1944 BURNER OBSERVATION MEANS FORHEATERS Stanley Perry, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Oil Devices, Santa Fe,of Illinois N. Mex a limited partnership Application January 18, 1941,Serial No. 375,082

12 Claims. (Cl. 126-361) My invention relates to an improvement inheaters'and is for example particularly adapted to hot water heaters inwhich a pot type burner is employed having a generally vertical heatinand due passage above the burner.

One purpose is the provision of such a mechanism in which the user mayinspect conditions within the burner through such a passage for exampleby looking down through the top of the heater, and to provide improvedbaflle means for such a heater, which may be adjusted to vary thebailling effect and which may also be moved when necessary to permitinspection from above of conditions within the burner.

Another purpose isthe provision of improved inspection means for such :aheater which may for example include a mirror whereby the observer maylook laterally at the mirror, at or adjacent the level of the top of theheater, and may by means of the mirror look down into the pot to inspectconditions therein.

Another purpose is the provision of such a mirror and inspection deviceassociated with adiustable or movable baflle means for the verticalpassage.

Other purposes will appear fromtime to time in the course'of thespecification and claims.

- I illustrate my invention more or less diagram- 1rxrilatically in theaccompanying drawings where- Fig. 1 is a vertical axial section; Fig. 2is a section on an enlarged scaleon the line 2-! of Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 39 of P18. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail 01'part of the baflle structure; Fig. 5 is a partial section similar toFig. 1, 11-

, lustrating a variation of the device;

Fig. 6 is a vertical axial section through a variant form of the device;

Fig. '1 is a partial plan view, on an enlarged scale, with parts brokenaway;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section of the upper structure of Fig. 6, withparts in a difierent position;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line II-III of Fig. 6;

Fig. his a partial vertical axial section illustrating a variant form orthe device;

Fig. 12is a plan view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line I3-I9 of Fig. 12;

space therebetween being filled with any suitable insulation 3 ifdesired. 4 is a central generally cylindrical passage. 5 is a bottommember or head connecting the members I and 4, and 9 is a similar topmember or head, the heads 5 and 6 tormin'g'with the outer cylinder I andthe inner cylinder 4 a water container, which may have any suitablewater inlet! extending from any suitable source of water supply. 9 is awater outlet for the'hot wateri Aligned with the'central cylindricalpassage 4' is a pot type burner 9 having a side wall I0, having thereina plurality of air inlet apertures II, herein shown as located atvarious levels, and a top row of secondary apertures I2. The pot ispartially closed, for example by any suitable fire ring I9, having acentral aperture II, herein shown as in direct communication with thebottom of the cylinder 4. It will be understood that, whereas the pottype burner is shown as abutting directly against the bottom of thecentral cylinder or passage 4, it need not be so disposed. It may, forexample, be spaced downwardly therefrom, with any suitable intermediateheating chamber or passage.

Ilindicates a fuel inlet passage controlled by and suitable valve I6 andextending to any suitable supply of liquid fuel not herein shown. Any

Fig. 14 is a partial plan view similar to Fig. 12,

illustrate a .hot water heater having a generally cylindrical I and 'anouter Jacket 2, the

suitablemeans may be employed for admitting air to the space about thepot 9. I may, for example, employ one or more air inlet passages I1; Itwill be understood also that any suitable gate or opening not hereinshown may be employed for giving access to the pot 9 and for insertingor removing it.

II is any suitable flue, which in the form of Fig. 1 is shown asconnected by an elbow I9 with an upper extension III ot'the centralpassage member I- The elbow I9 may include an inclined wall portion II,with an aperture 2Ia, in

which is hinged as at 22 any suitable shutter 23, which may have anadjustable counterweight 24 and which is normally closed, but which maybe thrust or moved open to permit inspection of conditions within thepot 9. It will also be understood, that, if desired, it may be madewholly or partially transparent to permit inspection without movement.

I indicate at 15 a plurality of fixed baflies, each of which mayconstitute'segments of the disc of in the neighborhood of degrees. Thebottom ballle 25 may have a bearing 26 to receive the lower end of arotatable shaft 21, the upper end of which may be rotatably mounted inany suitable upper bracket 28. The rod 21 carries a plurality of balllemembers 29, which may also be in the form ot disc segments of 180degrees. The upper end of the rod 21 may extend o'utwardly through theelbow I9 and may have an exterior manipulating handle 30; It

will be understood that when maximum bailling is desired, the rod 21 maybe located as shown in Fig. 1, in which case the baffles 29 provide withthe baflles 25 a staggered series of bailles, which constrain the heatedproducts of combustion to a tortuous path upwardly along the centralpassage 4.

In the form of Fig. ,5 the rod 21a may be inclined or offset, as shown,in such fashion as to move by gravity into the closed position. 3|illustrates any suitable hinged inspection door. The fixed bafllemembers 2511. may be mounted upon a bar 32, the upper end of which maybe bent to form an upper bearing 33 for the rod 21a. The bar 32 may bemounted on the passage member 4, for example by bolts 34.

Referring to the form of Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, I illustrate alateral extension 35 of the central passage 4, which extends outwardlythrough the cylinders l and 2 adjacent an upper portion thereof. In thatform I, therefore, provide an additional inspection passage 36 extendingupwardly through the top of the heater and aligned with the pot 9.

In the form of Fig. 6 I illustrate also a rod 31 carrying baiiles 33,which are staggered in relation to fixed baffles 39, the bottom baflle39 having a bearing 40 for the lower end of the rod 31, the upper end ofthe rod being mounted in an upper bearing 4|. Secured-to and moving withthe top of the rod 3'! is a closure. disc 42, having a manuallymanipulatable handle or lug 43. Moving unitarily with the closure 42 isthe angular mirror support 44, which may have any suitable mirror orreflective surface 45 associated therewith. Preferably the surface 45 isintegral with and forms a finish on the extension 44, as illustrated inFig. 8, but it will be realized, of course, that if desired a separatemirror member 46 may be clamped thereto, as by any suitable clamps orsecuring members 41, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9.

It will be understood that when the parts are in the position in whichthey are shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the inspection passage 35 is closed.When the operator rotates the member 42 to move it to open position, asshown in Fig. 8, he thereby positions the reflective surface 45 or themirror 46 in proper position so that he can look laterally at the mirrorand see reflected therein the interior of the pot 9. After hisinspection is completed he merely rotates the closure 42 by using thelug 43 as a handle, and this at the same time moves the -mirror out ofalignment with the inspection passage 36 and closes the passage. Also,it will be noted that the movable baffles 38 move with the rod. 31 andare moved out of the line of vision by the movement of the closure 42 toopen position.

Itwill be understood that, when in the present specification I speak oflooking into the pot, I might more accurately say that I provide meansfor inspecting the interior of the pot, or flame conditions above thepot when those flame conditions are such as to obscure the view of theinterior of the pot to the user.

I illustrate in Fig. 6 a booster motor 50, operating the booster fanwhich increases the air pressureabout the pot 9. When such a booster isused, I employ a surrounding housing 52. It will be understood, ofcourse, that I may employ such a booster in the. form of Fig. 1, and Imay omit it in the form of Fig." 6.

I may find it advantageous to dispense with the baffling system. asshown for example in the form of Fig. 11. In that case I may varysomewhat the structure of the closure. I illustrate for example in theforms of Figs. 11 to 16 a closure disc or cover 55, pivoted as at 56, atone side of the inspection passage 36. It may have any suitable handlelug 51 for manual operation. When the closure 55 is in the closedposition in which it is shown for example in Figs. 12, 13 and 16, itcloses the top of the inspection passage 36 and serves as a support ofand protection for any suitable mirror element 58, which may behorizontally hinged as at 59. It may have an inclined lever, shown forexample in Figs. 12, 13 and 15, as having an inclined lever 80, which,when the closure 55 is moved to open position, is engaged by a finger 5|of the closure 55. The finger 6| overlies the top of the inclined lever60 and cams it into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 15, thusrotating the mirror member 58 about its horizontal axis 59 into theposition in which it is shown in Fig. 15. In other words, the closure 55is moved out of vertical alignment with the passage 36, and the resultof this movement is a simultaneous lifting of the mirror 58 into theelevated or inspection position of Fig. 15. It is shown in Fig. 15 at anangle of about 45 degrees, though the parts may be so proportioned as tovary this angle to suit local conditions, the height of the heater andthe desire of the operator.

In all of the forms of the present invention in which a mirror isemployed the mirror is protected from any prolonged exposure to thesooting action of the combustion gases. In the forms of Figs. 11 andfollowing it is further protected from any dust deposit since it abutsdirectly against the top of the closure 55.

It will be realized that, whereas I have described and illustrated apractical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made inthe size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawingsto be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, ratherthan as limiting me to my precise showing.

I claim:

1. In combination, in a heater. a tank having a generally centralvertical passage therein extending substantially from top to bottomthereof, a burner located adjacent a lower portion of said tank andhaving an open top aligned with and in communication with said centralpassage, a flue in communication with an upper portion of said passage,said fiue extending out-'- wardly therefrom, an observation passage inline with said central passage and said burner, and adapted to permit anobserver to-inspect combustion conditions in said burner through saidcentral passage, movable baflle means located in said central passage,and means for moving it out of alignment with said observation passageand burner.

2. In combination, in a heater, a tank having a generally centralvertical passage therein extending substantially from top to bottomtheresaid central passage, movable baflle means located in said centralpassage, a closure for said observation passage, and unitary means formoving said baflie means out of alignment with said observation passageand burner and for opening said closure.

3. In combination, in a heater, a tank having a generally centralvertical passage therein extending substantially from top to bottomthereof, a burner located adjacent a lower portion of said tank andhaving an open top aligned with and in communication with said centralpassage, a flue in communication with an upper portion of said passage,said flue extending outwardly therefrom, an observation passage in linewith said central passage and said burner, and adapted to permit anobserver to inspect combustion conditions in said burner through saidcentral passage, movable bafile means located in said central passage, aclosure for said observation passage, and an inspection mirror adaptedto be positioned over and in inclination to said observation passage,and unitary means for moving said baflle means out of alignment withsaid observation passage and burner and for opening said closure and forpositioning said mirror in inclined inspection position over saidobservation passage.

4. In combination with an observation passage, a closure for saidpassage, an inclined mirror unitarily movable with said closure, saidmirror being out of alignment with the observation passage when theclosure is in position, and 'means for moving said closure to openposition and for at the same time positioning said mirror over and at anangle to the axis of said observation passage.

5. In combination with an observation passage, a closure for saidpassage, an inclined mirror unitarily movable with said closure, andmeans for moving said closure to open position and for at the same timepositioning said mirror over and at an angle to the axis of saidobservation passage, said closure being mounted for rotation about anaxis adjacent one side of the observation passage, the closure extendingradially from one side of said axis, the mirror extending outwardly fromanother side'of said axis.

6. In combination with an observation passage, a closure for saidpassage, an inclined mirror unitarily movable with said closure, andmeans for moving said closure to open position and for at the same timepositioning said mirror over and at an angle to the axis of saidobservation passage, said closure being mounted for the upper end of thepassage, through which the burner may be 'visible, a series of bafliesarranged along the passage, masking the burner, and means for laterallydisplacing the baflles to permit inspection of the burner through theobservation port.

. 9. A heater including a vertical, straight, tubular passage, a burneraligned with the bottom of the passage, an observation port at the upperend of the passage, through which the burner may be visible, a series ofbaflles arranged along the passage, masking the burner, a movableclosure for the observation port and means operative in response toopening movement of the closure for laterally displacing the bafiles topermit inspection of the burner through the observation port.

10. A heater including a vertical, straight, tubular passage, a burneraligned with the bottom of the passage, an observation port at the upperend of the passage, through which the burner may be visible, a series ofbaffles arranged along the passage, masking the burner,

a movable closure for the observation port and means operative inresponse to opening movement of the closure for laterally displacing thebafiles to permit inspection of the burner through the observation port,an observation rotation about an axis adjacent one side of theobservation passage, the closure'extending radially from one side ofsaid axis, the mirror extending outwardly from another side of saidaxis, and baiiles in said passage unitarily movable with said closure.

7. In combination with an observation passage, a closure for saidpassage, an inspection mirror, and means for simultaneously moving saidclosure to open position and for at the same time positioning saidmirror over and at an angle to the axis of said observation passage,said mirror being out of alignment with the observation passage when theclosure is in position.

8. A heater including a vertical, straight, tubular passage, a burneraligned with the bottom of the passage, an observation port at mirrorassociated with the port closure and a connection between the mirror andthe closure adapted to place the mirror in alignment with theobservation port when the closure is in the open position whereby theburner is visible through the observation port in the mirror.

11. A heater including a vertical, straight, tubular passage, a burneraligned with the bottom of the passage, an observation port at the upperend of the passage, through which the burner is visible, a movableclosure for the observation port, an observation mirror associated withthe port closure and a connection between the mirror and the closureadapted to place the mirror in alignment with the observation port whenthe closure is in the open position whereby the burner is visiblethrough the observation port in the mirror, said mirror being located atabout the height of the observer, its lower face constituting thereflective surface.

12. In combination, in a heater, an outer housing, a water containerformed within said housing and having a generally vertical flue membersurrounded by said water container, a

. means for supplying liquid fuel to said pot, said horizontal fluemember having an inspection aperture, adapted to permit an observer toinspection combustion conditions in said burner through said verticalflue element, and closure means therefor, adapted to permit downwardobservation from above of combustion conditions in the burner, and aninclined observation mirror, and means for supporting it in generalvertical alignment with said inspection aper-.

ture, and means for moving said closure means and said mirror unitarily,and for substantially simultaneously opening the closure and positioningthe mirror in vertical alignment with said vertical flue member.

STANLEY PERRY.

